YOUR SOIL HEALTH LEGACY STARTS HERE
Who we are
We ground regenerative agriculture in soil biology, practical measurement, and economic reality—supporting farmers, partners, and communities with data they can trust and systems that fit where they are.
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​​Soil Regen is a science-driven consulting and testing organization dedicated to improving soil function, farm resilience, and supply-chain integrity.
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We believe regenerative agriculture must work in the real world—across diverse soils, climates, operations, and business models. Our role is not to sell a system, but to help build systems that fit where you are and where you’re going.
Our Philosophy
Healthy soils are biological systems, not formulas.
Every farm operates under different constraints—weather, markets, labor, equipment, and risk tolerance. Regenerative success comes from understanding those realities and pairing them with sound science.
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We focus on:
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Measurement before marketing
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Biology before buzzwords
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Long-term outcomes over short-term wins
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Relationships over transactions
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If soil improves but the farmer can’t stay in business, the system fails.
Meet the Owners
Dr. Liz Haney
Dr. Liz Haney is a soil and ecosystem scientist, entrepreneur, educator, and community builder dedicated to helping people better understand and work with natural systems.
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As co-developer of both the Haney Soil Health Test and the Regenerative Verified™ Program, Liz has spent her career translating complex soil biology and ecosystem science into practical tools that help farmers, ranchers, landowners, and agricultural professionals make more informed and profitable management decisions.
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Her work extends far beyond soil testing. Liz works at the intersection of science, agriculture, economics, and human health, helping bridge the gap between research and real-world application. She is known for her ability to connect the dots between soil function, nutrient cycling, profitability, environmental stewardship, and the long-term resilience of agricultural operations.
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Through Soil Regen, Liz provides consulting, education, research, and regenerative verification services across diverse cropping systems and climates. She collaborates with farmers, scientists, agronomists, businesses, and conservation organizations to develop practical solutions grounded in both scientific rigor and on-farm reality.
As a co-developer of the Regenerative Verified™ Program, she has helped create a science-based approach to measuring and recognizing regenerative outcomes using soil ecosystem function rather than practice-based checklists.
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A natural connector, Liz has built an extensive network of producers, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders throughout agriculture. She is passionate about creating spaces where people can learn from one another, challenge conventional thinking, and build stronger agricultural communities. Whether leading workshops, speaking at conferences, conducting research, or facilitating collaboration among diverse stakeholders, Liz is driven by a simple belief: healthy soils create healthier farms, healthier food, healthier communities, and a healthier future.
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In addition to her work with Soil Regen, Liz is co-founder of Nature's Image (on-farm mobile milling), a partner in Farmers Reserve Distillery, and an advocate for building regional food and agricultural systems that reward stewardship, transparency, and long-term resilience.
Russell Hedrick
Russell Hedrick is a first-generation farmer, agronomist, entrepreneur, and nationally recognized leader in regenerative agriculture. As owner of JRH Grain Farms in Hickory, North Carolina, Russell has built a reputation for pushing the boundaries of profitable crop production by integrating soil health principles, nutrient efficiency, and innovative management strategies across his farming operation.
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Known for his practical agronomic expertise, Russell specializes in helping producers maximize profitability by improving soil function, reducing fertilizer dependence, and optimizing nutrient cycling. His willingness to test new ideas, measure results, and share both successes and failures has made him a trusted voice among farmers seeking resilient and economically sustainable production systems.
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Russell gained national recognition after winning the North Carolina Corn Yield Contest in 2017, becoming the first producer in the state to achieve the honor using regenerative management practices. He has been featured in Top Producer Magazine, Furrow Magazine, National No-Tillage Farmer, Ag PhD, RFD-TV, and is a featured producer on Top Crop TV, where he shares insights from his farm and experiences implementing cutting-edge agronomic practices.
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Beyond farming, Russell is the founder of Revolution Drones, a leading agricultural drone application company helping producers improve efficiency and precision in crop management. He is also co-founder of Regen Mills and Heritage Ground, co-owner of Soil Regen, LLC, and founder of Farmers Reserve Distillery, a farmer-owned distillery dedicated to producing premium spirits from regeneratively grown grains.
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Whether farming, consulting, speaking, or building businesses, Russell remains committed to one goal: helping producers increase profitability while leaving their land healthier and more productive for future generations.
Meet the Consultants
A network of regenerative agriculture specialists working alongside Soil Regen.
Mark Gutierrez
Mark Gutierrez is Executive Director of the MN Soil Health Coalition, the state's largest farmer-led soil health mentor network, providing resources, education, and mentorship to farmers across Minnesota. Raised on a farm in New Mexico, Mark holds an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from New Mexico State University and previously worked for the USDA as an Agricultural Statistician and Deputy Director of the RMA crop insurance program for Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. He also runs a small grazing operation and orchard, raising poultry, hogs, and sheep on pasture.
Trish Jackson, PhD
Trish Jackson, PhD, is a soil scientist, biochar expert, and an enthusiastic voice in regenerative agriculture. Raised in the heart of Kansas, she has spent more than two decades asking a deceptively simple question: what does it take to bring soil back to life? Biochar is one of her most powerful answers.
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As Chief Technical Officer of TerraVie Global Solutions and Chief Operating Officer of Terra Solutions, LLC, Trish leads a biochar initiative spanning the central Great Plains. She understands biochar production at any scale, quality measures, feedstock challenges, carbon credit verification protocols, and end-use product development from the ground up. She is also co-inventor on three U.S. soil amendment patents.
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Trish holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Kansas, where she studied soil health and food system resiliency. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences from Greenland to Brazil, and taught soil science and physical geography at the university level. But her favorite classroom is still a field — preferably one with good soil and a farmer who's willing to dig in.
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If you're looking for a biochar consultant who can translate complex soil chemistry into practical farm-ready strategies, Trish brings both the science and the dirt.
Seth Watkins
Seth Watkins is a fifth-generation Iowa farmer and owner of Pinhook Farm, where he raises cattle using regenerative grazing systems while integrating conservation into every aspect of the operation. A nationally respected advocate for soil health, water quality, and rural stewardship, Seth demonstrates how profitable agriculture and environmental conservation work hand in hand. Through decades of practical farming experience, he has become a trusted educator, helping producers build resilient farms that strengthen both their land and their communities.
Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson is a sixth-generation farmer and rancher from northwest Kansas, where he and his family operate a diversified grain and livestock operation. Widely recognized as a leader in regenerative agriculture, Michael specializes in no-till farming, cover crops, adaptive grazing, and resilient cropping systems that improve both profitability and soil health. His practical, producer-focused approach has made him a sought-after speaker and educator, helping farmers successfully implement regenerative practices across diverse environments.
Adam Chappell
Adam Chappell is a fourth-generation farmer from Cotton Plant, Arkansas, who has become one of the nation’s leading voices in regenerative agriculture. After transforming his own operation through continuous no-till, cover crops, precision nutrient management, and innovative management practices, Adam now shares his experience with producers across the country. His focus is helping growers improve soil function, reduce input costs, increase profitability, and build resilient farming systems that perform under challenging conditions.
Brian Chatham
Brian Chatham is a conservation agronomist and regenerative agriculture consultant with extensive experience helping producers integrate soil health, grazing, wildlife habitat, and profitable farming systems. Drawing from years of on-farm experience across diverse cropping systems, Brian works with growers to develop practical management strategies that improve soil function, increase resilience, and enhance long-term profitability. His collaborative, farmer-first approach helps producers implement conservation practices that deliver measurable agronomic and economic results.
Bryan Petersen
I’m a first generation farmer on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line who likes building somethings from nothings. I didn’t grow up on a farm, so I don’t know how we’ve always done it. I like tradition, but I care more about what works, what’s sustainable, and what’s profitable. Before farming, I played professional baseball for the Marlins, Rangers, and Brewers for 10 years. Then I spent around eight years as a firefighter in my new, not so hometown. Now I run a direct-to-consumer retail meat business selling chicken, pork, beef, and turkey - raise a little bit of row crops – am a certified organic farm inspector and love the paint color of your tractor. Oh, I also own a custom blending fertlizer business and consult on corn, beans, wheat, vegetables, and hemp.
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I’ve seen a lot of systems from a lot of angles, and there’s no such thing as the best way. Nothing always works and nothing always fails, unless of course you’re talking about fall applied dry fertility or communism. I’m a fan of no-till, but I do own pigs. I like biology, but chemistry works pretty well too. I’m also very good at making mistakes – but luckily, that has led me to success more often than not.
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I love Jesus, like beer, and hate dogma.